U.S. Considering Tariffs on Med Device Imports; Trade Groups Push Back
The Commerce Department is investigating whether imports of personal protective equipment (PPE), medical consumables, and medical devices and equipment have national security implications that may warrant trade action, such as...
Law360 Quotes Brian Horne on Most Significant Patent Litigation Decisions of the Year
In a recent interview with Law360, Knobbe Martens partner Brian Horne shared his perspective on one of the most noteworthy patent rulings of 2025: the Federal Circuit’s decision in EcoFactor...
(Intend To) Use It or Lose It: Proving Bona Fide Intent Before the TTAB
In a precedential opinion issued in September 2025, the TTAB sustained the opposition of the mark, HOTEL EL ROBLAR, for hotel services in class 43, agreeing with the opposer that...
Proposed Legislation to Codify “Skinny Label” Safe Harbor
On December 5, 2025, the Skinny Labels, Big Savings Act (H.R. 6485) was introduced in the House of Representatives. The bill, if enacted, would shield certain drug manufacturers who have...
Greg Phillips Comments on “Top Trademark Decisions of 2025” in Law360
In Law360’s article on the top trademark decisions of 2025, Greg Phillips, Co-Chair of Knobbe Martens’ Trademark and Brand Protection practice, offered his insights on the noteworthy Federal Circuit ruling...
DARPA Announces “Lift Challenge,” Seeking Drone Designs With High Payload-To-Weight Ratios
DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) issued a challenge, the DARPA Lift Challenge, in October 2025 to develop novel drone designs that have greater payload-to-weight ratio. DARPA, which is the...
MLex Quotes Jeremiah Helm on Latest Developments in Hikma’s ‘Skinny Label’ Supreme Court Bid
In a recent MLex article, Knobbe Martens partner Jeremiah Helm shared his insights on Hikma Pharmaceuticals’ bid for the Supreme Court to grant certiorari in a closely watched “skinny label”...
Abbott to Expand Its Cancer Diagnostic Segment
Abbott recently announced that it agreed to acquire Exact Sciences for approximately $21 billion to enter the fast-growing cancer diagnostic segment. Under the terms of the agreement, Abbott will acquire all outstanding shares of...
Knobbe Martens Trademark Team Earns Multiple Recognitions in World IP Review 2025 USA Rankings
IRVINE, Calif., December 12, 2025 – Knobbe Martens is proud to share that the firm’s Trademark & Brand Protection group was recognized in the 2025 edition of World IP Review’s...
Boeing Completes Acquisition of Spirit Aerosystems With IP Divestiture
Boeing announced on December 8, 2025, that it had completed its acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems. The deal is valued at $4.7 billion, or $8.3 billion including the assumption of debt....
Life Science Considerations on the USPTO’s New Guidelines for AI-Assisted Inventorship
On November 26, 2025, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued revised guidelines for determining inventorship of AI-assisted inventions,[1] which is a significant development in life science innovations,...
In Interview, Bryan McWhorter Shares How AI Can Be a “Power Tool” for Lawyers
In a recent interview with the San Diego Union-Tribune, Knobbe Martens partner Bryan McWhorter discussed the growing use of generative AI in the legal profession, highlighting its potential as a...
Identical Inventor Required to Exclude Prior Art
MERCK SERONO S.A. v. HOPEWELL PHARMA VENTURES, INC. Before Hughes, Linn, and Cunningham. Appeal from the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Summary: An earlier reference is available as prior art...
Jonathan Menkes Discusses AI and Copyright Regulations in Interview with The Register
In a recent interview with enterprise technology news publication The Register, partner Jonathan Menkes offered his insights on the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence and copyright infringement. Menkes shared how...
Knobbe Martens Partners Sean Murray and Jeremiah Helm Examine Federal Circuit Guidance on Patent Wording in Law360
In the latest installment of their monthly Law360 column on recent significant Federal Circuit cases, Knobbe Martens partners Sean Murray and Jeremiah Helm analyze the court’s ruling in Barrette Outdoor...
FAA Request for Information Related to a New Air Traffic Control Platform
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a request for information (RFI) related to “a single, state-of-the art platform for air traffic control called the Common Automation Platform (CAP).” The CAP...
USPTO’s Automated Search Pilot: Through a Biotech Lens
In October 2025, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) launched the “Artificial Intelligence Search Automated Pilot Program,” or ASAP!, an initiative to identify potential prior art using artificial intelligence...
Patent Exclusivity and Price Controls: Teva v. Kennedy
On November 20, 2025, the D.C. District Court issued its opinion [1] in a lawsuit where Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. challenged the validity of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program...
Sound the Alarm! How My 6-Year Old Almost Became a Copyright Pirate Overnight
As we previously wrote, in the brave new world of AI, the ability of users to push the boundaries of creativity at breakneck speed raises new challenges for IP owners....
Bryan McWhorter Authors Legaltech News Article on How Generative AI Is Transforming Patent Prosecution
In the Legaltech News article “Reports of Death Greatly Exaggerated: Why Generative AI Is Powering, Not Pulverizing, Patent Prosecution,” Knobbe Martens partner Bryan McWhorter explores the impact of generative AI...
Aerospace Update | November 2025
Aerospace IP Strategy in View of Recent U.S. Patent Office Updates Tom Cowan Aerospace technology companies often decide between patenting an innovation or keeping it as a trade secret. Typically,...
